The last words Jesus spoke as He hung on the cross, crucified to pay the sin debt you and I owe our God, were words of victory He wanted you and me to know. The Greek word tetelestai, translated as “it is finished’ really means ‘paid in full’. The word tetelestai was written on business documents or receipts to show that a bill had been paid in full.  The debt has been sealed as paid! Nothing else is owed on our debt to our God.

John 19:²⁸ After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. ²⁹Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. ³⁰When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

What debt was paid in full? The debt you and I owe our righteous God for the sins we have committed.

Romans 3:²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul documents witnesses

1 Corinthians 15:³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ⁷After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. ⁸And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

The importance of Jesus’ resurrection

¹²Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ¹⁴And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. ¹⁵Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. ¹⁶For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ¹⁷And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ¹⁹If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. ²⁰But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. ²¹For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. ²⁴Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. ²⁷For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. ²⁸And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Do you know this song? It Is Finished

There’s a line that is drawn through the ages On that line stands an old rugged cross
On that cross, a battle is raging For the gain of man’s soul or it’s loss
On one side, march the forces of evil All the demons, all the devils of hell
On the other, the angels of glory And they meet on Golgotha’s hill

The earth shakes with the force of the conflict And the sun refuses to shine
For there hangs God’s son, in the balance And then through the darkness he cries

It is finished, the battle is over It is finished, there’ll be no more war
It is finished, the end of the conflict It is finished and Jesus is Lord

Yet in my heart, the battle was still raging Not all prisoners of war had come home
These were battlefields of my own making I didn’t know that the war had been won
Oh, but then I heard the king of the ages Had fought all the battles for me
And that victory was mine for the claiming And now praise his name, I am free.

Do you acknowledge the price Jesus Christ paid for you?

Do you still owe God, your Creator, a debt?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good   plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti